“Have you ever heard of an architect named Bruce Goff?”
That was the question our client asked on the telephone. We had completed her residence in Rogers, Arkansas the year before, and her husband had taken a job four days a week in Joplin, Missouri. They were looking for house under $100,000 to purchase as a second home, and found Goff’s L.A. Freeman House in the Joplin suburbs. I knew of Goff, and arranged to see the house with her. We met the owner there, and looked around. The years had taken its toll, but the building was still more interesting than most: a marvel of plate glass, spires and cables, and chunks of blue-green glass cullet used as masonry. Classic Bruce Goff. Our clients purchased it.
Our first step was to travel to the Art Institute of Chicago, where Goff’s archives are located. There we found original drawings of three complete schemes for the project. The third scheme was the one built, from drawings issued 2-28-59. Also included in the archive were slides of the house when completed in 1961, and a collection of correspondence between Goff and L.A. Freeman. The correspondence was especially interesting, providing a human glimpse of the project from the first scheme through completion. Unfortunately, the Freemans never lived in the house, having been transferred during construction. We were also fortunate to speak with Harvey Ferraro, who drew the plans, as well as some men who worked on the house.
Existing condition
Poor construction details, poor maintenance, and misguided “fixes” meant the house had several problems when my clients purchased it:
- The original “aviary” screened porch had been replaced with an unfortunate room addition. A 6’ plate height at one end sloped up to the existing roof, obscuring the clerestory lighting in the center of the house.
- The “carport” was a large cantilevered overhang supported by cables hanging from pylons in the front yard. Unfortunately, the original design’s steel angle attached to the cables was taller than the roofing, and water had wicked up into the continuous unit decking for 40+ years, causing severe rot. As the roof began to sag, the owner attempted to remedy the problem by increasing the cable tension, moving the entire roof plane, and cracking glazing throughout the building.
- The side balconies originally cantilevered out over the entries without support, using a large site built truss concealed in the guardrail. Poor detailing and maintenance lead to water infiltration and the subsequent failure of the trusses. When we began, there were wood 4x4s holding up the balconies. The planter boxes had been removed during the last re-build.
- The skylight surrounding the freestanding chimney had leaked and was covered with several inches of tar.
Priorities
Our goal was to restore as much of the original building, where possible or practical, within a limited, second house budget. Where budget or practicality prohibited restoration, our goal was to be true to Goff’s design sensibilities.
First we had to fix the roof and broken glass. We devised a steel carrier system with our structural engineer, which would allow us to remove the rotten portion of the tongue and groove decking, add a filler, and still support it with the cables.
Investigation of the cantilevered porches proved the trusses were beyond repair, and would require a column, as well as structural reconstruction. Here we designed steel columns based on the house theme of triangles and cullet.
The addition at the rear was removed, an event enjoyed by all! We decided it was impractical to replace the screened porch. The original design used long 2x4 wood structure, with an insect screen roof. Under the oak trees on the site, in a four season climate, it could not have lasted long. Budget concerns prohibited glass and roofed versions. Our solution was to provide uncovered exterior space, restoring the clerestory above the main space, the glass doors leading out, and the original indoor/outdoor relationship. We designed the guardrail to be evocative of the original design. Stainless cables allow a transparent view of the wooded area beyond.
This project combined history, design, and construction in a very satisfying way for our firm and our clients.
» View More Transformations
